Your first detox is like picking up a new sport. At first it is intriguing, you are super motivated and excited about the potential results. Then it begins… the pain and concentration that you need to have to strictly eat what you are supposed to eat/drink and NOTHING else. You have a moment of doubt and maybe even laziness, usually around the liquid days, where you wonder if you are going to be able to reach your goal and whether all this is worth it. You eventually pull through and once you are finally done, you realise how much better you feel, how much better you look and how excited you are about feeling in control of your body’s health. Angelique kept saying she regularly does a detox and I always thought it was because she was way more devoted than everyone else, but I get it now. I am actually looking forward to my next one!
You cannot spot reduce! Weight loss results from an energy deficit; burning more calories than you take in. Aerobic exercise will help create this energy deficit. Genetics and gender play a role in where we store excess fat and where it comes off first. Abdominal exercises will tighten and tone the abdominals but will not directly affect the layer of abdominal adipose.
The blood test looks at standard blood parameters, this includes liver function, thyroid, glucose, inflammation markers, cholesterol, red and white blood cells, etc. This can therefore provide a great tool to track progress. I often see inflammation markers reduce, glucose regulation improve, cholesterol levels lower. Note: It is not a blood test that looks at “food allergy”
There are many variables and factors in the complex world of health insurance. Most providers have so many different plans that we cannot give general advice to our patients. We will provide you with a “super bill” for your insurance company. This is signed by our physician with proper coding and any other requirements. You can then submit the bill to your Insurance Carrier for reimbursement. Although we do not see any monies ourselves, we do know that over 50% of our patients do get reimbursed for medical fees.

The ReShape Duo, developed by California-based Reshape Medical, is the world’s only dual intra-gastric balloon. The dual balloon has 3 potential advantages over traditional single gastric balloons: the shape of the dual balloon fits the natural curvature of the stomach, allowing it to sit in a more comfortable position; the two balloons can hold up to 900ml of saline occupying more space in the stomach,; and as each balloon is filled and sealed independently, in the unlikely chance a balloon should deflate, the other balloon will hold the device in place until it can be removed.
Secondly, our nutritional approach uses a method that has been shown to be much more user friendly than counting calories (calories on food packaging can be out by up to 25%!) and doesn’t rely on weighing every morsel of food that passes your lips. Our nutritional approach is about achieving optimal health while gradually increasing the quantity of food you are allowed while supporting muscle growth and fat loss. This is important as the industry ‘standard’ approach is to restrict/decrease food as time goes on which leads to muscle breakdown and a lower metabolism – both of which are disastrous as far as fat loss is concerned.

Lastly, you enter the Wellness Phase when you have met your goal weight. Monthly visits help to keep you on track with your long-term weight maintenance plan, and additional testing and supplements may be suggested. During this phase, the dieter moves to a 40/30/30 eating plan where 40 percent of calories consumed come from carbohydrates, 30 percent come from fats and 30 percent come from protein.

The most important factors for change in reducing and ultimately managing your obesity are your diet, exercise and permanent behaviour modification. All these combined will greatly assist in the reduction of your weight. Prescription medication provided by a dedicated weight loss doctor is a widely used treatment for obesity reduction and management.